


Fashion

by SealedAsBefore



Series: Life Lessons [3]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Bonding, Clothing, Gen, Kinda, Makeover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 21:26:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3090599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SealedAsBefore/pseuds/SealedAsBefore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dorian sighed heavily and held his hand out. “That tunic is a monstrosity; I may burn it later as a public service. Hand it here.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or: Cole may be color blind. Dorian is not amused.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fashion

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place directly after [Bathing](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3054833) so you might want to give that a read before you read this one. A thousand glittery kittens to AA, whose comment I found very encouraging, and who gave me the idea for this story. You're an all-star! 
> 
> This turned into a story more about Dorian than Cole, or rather, how Dorian relates to Cole, but I hope you like it just the same!

The bath lasted much longer than Dorian had anticipated, long enough that Callum had fallen asleep twice more before the mage had shooed him off to bed. Callum had offered some mumbling protest, but it was obvious that his well of energy had finally run dry. Half-dressed and damp, Callum left the bath for the comfort and safety of his quarters. Dorian reminded himself to check on the Inquisitor later, and make sure he hadn’t fallen asleep on the stairs leading up to his room. Again.

 

Cole watched Callum leave, sunk in the water almost to his nose. He’d enjoyed the washing even less than Dorian had anticipated, making the most hurt, indignant noise Dorian had ever heard him make when the mage had given up coaxing and simply dumped a bucket of soapy water over Cole’s head.

 

The second soak was more to Cole’s liking. He seemed content to sit quietly and drink in the warmth, wet hair sticking to his forehead.

 

Resigned to being the bearer of bad news, Dorian waved Cole to the stone steps at the bath’s edge. “Time to get out. Callum would never forgive me if I turned you into stew.”

 

Cole didn’t move but to sit up a bit straighter, looking down at his blurry reflection in the warm water. “I want to stay.”

 

“I assure you, with the amount of dirt and grime you collect, you will have reason to return in no time. Out you get.” Dorian climbed out of the bath, finding the cooler air refreshing on his bare skin. It had been ages since he’d had such a lengthy soak, but he remembered why he’d enjoyed them so in the past.

 

Dorian got two towels out of the cabinet and turned, sucking in a quick breath at how close the spirit suddenly was, when Dorian hadn’t even heard him leave the bath. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be used to that,” he said, handing Cole one of the towels and using the other to carefully dry his own hair.

 

“Is it frightening?” Cole asked, copying Dorian as he toweled off.

 

“Not exactly. It’s a surprise, though not an unwanted one.” Dorian tossed the damp towel on the bench and begun pulling his clothes on, stopping Cole from doing the same with a chastising click of the tongue. “We discussed this. Find something in the cabinet.”

 

Cole obediently went to the cabinet and pulled out the first clothes he laid hands on, ending up with a mustard yellow tunic with uneven stitching, and a pair of patched up dove gray trousers that had clearly seen better days.

 

Dorian sighed heavily and held his hand out. “That tunic is a monstrosity; I may burn it later as a public service. Hand it here.”

 

The tunic got tossed to the bench beside Cole’s old clothing, but when Dorian reached for the trousers, Cole’s hand tightened subtly, hanging on.

 

“Fine, keep them. A longer tunic will cover all those patches, and the color is good. Almost matches your eyes, now that I can actually see them. We should at least make an effort to make you look handsome.”

 

“Like you?” Cole shoved his pale, skinny legs into the trousers like there was something at the end of them that he needed to kick to death.

 

Dorian smiled and preened a little, shoulders relaxing. “Do you think I’m handsome, Cole?”

 

“I don’t know. Maybe. How do I tell?”

 

“If you like to look at me, you probably think I’m handsome. You wouldn’t be the first.”

 

“Everyone likes to look at you, and you like to be looked at.” Cole’s eyes appeared so much more knowing with less of his hair obscuring them. Dorian fought the rather distressing urge to squirm. “You don’t feel real unless someone sees you. It isn’t the same sort of real I was missing, but it hurts you.”

 

Dorian held up another tunic, a soft downy blue in the Antivan style, narrower at the waist than the other, and nipping in subtly at the wrists. Probably useful for an assassin trying to keep their blades unencumbered. “Try this one. With luck, you won’t look like you’re swimming in it.”

 

While Cole pulled the tunic on, Dorian sat and busied himself with getting his boots on, making a face at the mildly unpleasant feel of damp feet in dry footwear. “I know that our friends see me as I am. They couldn’t mistake me for anything else if they tried. But old habits are hard to break, aren’t they?” With a thoughtful sound, he knocked his heels on the ground to settle his boots on his feet, and reached out to adjust the fall of Cole’s tunic. “I can’t say I dislike the attention, and why shouldn’t I be admired for my inspired fashion choices, perfect hair, and stunning wit?”

 

Cole passively let Dorian tug and shift his clothes, swaying slightly when the mage pulled hard, determined to get the tunic to fall _just_ _so_ over Cole’s sturdy little waist. “You won’t ever be invisible again, Dorian. You don’t have to worry.”

 

Sure hands paused in their fussing, nakedness in Dorian’s eyes when he looked up from his task. “I suppose that’s true. For you, as well as for me. Terrifying, isn’t it?” Dorian stood smoothly and stepped back, looking Cole over. As his fingertips brushed some of the moon-blonde strands of hair out of Cole’s eyes and into some semblance of an actual style, Dorian smiled in satisfaction. Cole didn’t look half bad, more like the young man Solas had once claimed that he was. More like the man Cole was trying so hard to be. “Thrilling, too.”

 

The moment was getting a little too touching for Dorian, so he upended Cole’s hat, piling his dirty clothes inside of it. “Get your shoes on. We’ll drop this unfortunate bundle off for laundering, and find somewhere to stand and be casually admired. That’s your next lesson; being seen _on purpose_.”

 

The soft tap-tap-tap of Cole’s soles on the stone were the only way Dorian knew Cole followed. He was aware that the spirit made noise only as a courtesy, another sign of the humanity Cole was still getting comfortable with.

 

“I’m glad you are my friend.”

 

Dorian nearly tripped at the soft words, a cool hand suddenly appearing on his elbow to steady his steps. Fondly, he replied, “So am I.” It didn’t surprise him as much as it should have to find that those words were true. Nothing about his time with the Inquisition had been anything like what Dorian had expected. As vibrant as his imagination often was, he’d never been able to picture having not just one, but several close friends. He’d certainly never thought to have anything in common with a spirit. But here they were. Not a bad place to be. He still wasn’t used to the mountain cold, but Dorian could only guess at how often Cole would be dragging him off to a nice hot bath. All in all, Dorian couldn’t complain.

 

A waft of old blood and stale sweat assaulted his nose. Making a disgusted noise, Dorian shoved the bundle of what were assuredly toxic rags at Cole, launching into a lengthy tirade on proper hygiene and clothing care, which Cole politely gave every appearance of listening to, whether or not he actually was.

 

Well. Dorian couldn’t _always_ complain.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this, I hope you enjoyed it! Everyone who takes the time to leave kudos, or comment, or bookmarks any of my work is an automatic sweetie, you guys keep this series going. Comment down below and let me know what you want to see next! See you again!


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